Fred Silverman
American television producer and executiveWikipedia
17
MENTIONS
11
EPISODES
10
PODCASTS
Search complete. 17 mentions across 11 episodes found for "Fred Silverman".
Sep 24, 2026
Frank SantopadreHOST
so.
Frank SantopadreHOST
But Fred Silverman was infamously behind that show.
Greg EviganGUEST
Oh,
Gilbert GottfriedHOST
okay.
21 MINS LATER
Frank SantopadreHOST
with me and a
Gilbert GottfriedHOST
chimp.
Gilbert GottfriedHOST
And I auditioned for and didn't get the part in one of also a famously bad show that I think was also Fred Silverman, and that was Mr. Smith.
Frank SantopadreHOST
Wow.
Mike KlaussHOST
So maybe a worthwhile investment by NBC, especially after the absolutely disastrous 78-79 season we've referred to an awful lot in the past.
Greg DienerHOST
And boy, did Fred Silverman need every ratings point he could get.
Mike KlaussHOST
So what can we say about the Chips Roller Disco episode? Y'all knew it was a bad idea to give Jim Brown and Fred Williamson skates.
Mike KlaussHOST
Two baddies, and they're two awfully big baddies.
Bob GreenblattGUEST
For me, those were the guys, and those shows still stand up from-
Kevin GoetzHOST
Fred Silverman
Bob GreenblattGUEST
...
Bob GreenblattGUEST
Seinfeld.
speaker_2UNKNOWN
I found you, Fred Silver!
Sean O'ConnorHOST
I think Fred Silverman is the guy who ran NBC.
Sean O'ConnorHOST
Really? When that aired.
Matt FulchironGUEST
This aired on a major network.
Chris LantzyGUEST
Uh, question two.
Chris LantzyGUEST
As head of children's programming for CBS, Fred Silverman came up with the name of this cartoon character after listening to Frank Sinatra's version of Strangers in the Night.
NeilHOST
Oh.
NeilHOST
I think I might know this one, but everyone...
Jon SchneiderGUEST
I think if you think back to, you know, a lot of people describe the first five years as counterculture.
Jon SchneiderGUEST
I think Al Franken certainly on Weekend Update represents that when he goes out and he talks about his problems with NBC and Fred Silverman and just being a voice for the show.
Jon SchneiderGUEST
I mean, this is, you know, like.
Jon SchneiderGUEST
The cast, in certain senses, you know, had that in their sketches, but weren't necessarily up there as an I'm Al Franken.
Greg EviganGUEST
And I said, Dick, what's going on? Some girl just ran up to me and told me that she's going to be a lady trucker on our show.
Greg EviganGUEST
What's going on here? Is this real? And he goes, oh, Greg, I didn't know how to tell you this, but Fred Silverman wants seven lady truckers on the show.
Greg EviganGUEST
Are you kidding me? What? This show is about, you know, it's about a guy who runs into different trouble all the way throughout the country now.
Greg EviganGUEST
They're going to move it all to L.A. It's going to be a whole different thing.
Greg EviganGUEST
And,
Greg EviganSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
of course, Fred Silverman
speaker_8UNKNOWN
being the head of the network.
Greg EviganGUEST
That's right.
speaker_4HOST
They were shaped by two middle-aged network executives who absolutely despised each other.
speaker_4HOST
CBS had this guy, Fred Silverman's successor, a standards and practices chief named Tom Swofford.
speaker_4HOST
ABC had Judy Price running their children's programming.
speaker_4HOST
And these two, they went to war.
Rob LoweHOST
Yeah, I can remember having a I was probably 12.
Rob LoweHOST
And Fred Silverman, who was then on the cover of Time magazine, is the smartest executive in television.
Rob LoweHOST
He like resurrected, I want to say, NBC and came up all these hits.
Rob LoweHOST
I had an audition with him for some reason.
James F. RussellPANELIST
It was only when, well, what's his name? The big fat guy.
Walter MichkaHOST
Oh, Silverman? Fred Silverman?
James F. RussellPANELIST
Yeah, Silverman said, you know, it seemed funnier.
James F. RussellPANELIST
Well, the other guys.
James F. RussellPANELIST
And so that's when they hired me back.
1 more episode mentions Fred Silverman.
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